"I felt him getting more desperate" - Mario Bautista claims one missing factor could have shifted the fight against Umar Nurmagomedov

Umar Nurmagomedov left UFC 321 Abu Dhabi with a decision win, but not without feeling Mario Bautista’s fight in full. Bautista pushed the Dagestani for three rounds despite falling behind on the judges' scorecards.

Bautista’s slick scrambles and a sharp knee in the second round forced Nurmagomedov to lean harder on his wrestling. Nurmagomedov did what he does best by applying steady pressure, maintaining a measured pace, and leaving no room for mistakes.

Bautista refused to fade, defending submissions and searching for openings off his back. By the third round, the exchanges grew heavier, and Bautista later said he could sense Nurmagomedov tightening his grip to hold position. He believes a five-round version would have changed everything.

Speaking in a recent conversation with Tim Welch, he said:

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“He definitely didn’t want to let go because if he gave any space, I was going to be gone faster than he wanted me to be...I felt him getting more desperate to hold me. That’s what I felt. If there were rounds four and five, it would have been interesting. "

He added:

"He was fast. I didn’t expect him to be so quick in taking the back and locking the body triangle. He had good heavy pressure, just super sticky. I’ve felt guys like that in the gym before... But this guy, I could defend everything. He had solid control, nothing I haven’t felt before. It’s just a matter of training a little better for it. It’s whatever, it’s a style of fighting."

Check out Mario Bautista's comments below (10:50):

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Jorge Masvidal urges caution for Umar Nurmagomedov before title run

Jorge Masvidal believes Umar Nurmagomedov has the tools to be a champion, but thinks it is too early for another title push. After the young Dagestani’s decision win over Mario Bautista at UFC 321, Masvidal said he should focus on gaining experience in longer fights before stepping back into the spotlight.

He praised Nurmagomedov’s composure but warned that facing Merab Dvalishvili too soon could set him back if he is not fully ready. Speaking in a recent conversation on Death Row MMA, Masvidal said:

"I want to see Umar fight for the belt again, but at the same time, if he fights for the belt and he’s not ready right now and goes 0-2, he’s not fighting for the belt anytime soon. So do you wait with him a little bit more, let him get a little bit better, or do you put him right back in there again with who’s probably the all-time GOAT now at bantamweight?... Let Umar get his feet a little more experienced, get used to those five-round fights, because this fight with Mario wasn’t easy for him, and this was three rounds. So you don’t know what happens if he has to turn it up again in another five-round fight with Merab."

Edited by Abhishek Nambiar